Charis begins her story on a planet where a group of narrow religious conservatives have taken over. She was fleeing from the settlement when a space ship planets. However, the way off the planet the ship offers is as contract labor, a hair away from outright slavery. Desperate, Charis agrees. She is taken to the planet of Warlock as part of a trading post, a small experiment to see if Terrans and Wyverns, as the natives of Warlock are called, can peacefully trade. However, there is more going on than a trading mission. Charis finds herself caught up in a struggle between hijackers and the native rulers. She also meets up with Shan Lantree, the Planet Survey Cadet assigned to the small Embassy Post as well as Shan's nonhuman wolverine companion, and a small lovable native animal called a curl cat.

Write-up from the front flap of the 1964 HC ~

With the colonial government of Demeter in the hands of the outlaw Tolskegg, young Charis Nordholm had no other choice. Reluctantly, she signed an indefinite contract which out her in the service of the off-worlder, Jagan. Her assignment - to trade with the mysterious Wyverns on Warlock.At first, Charis was attracted by the dreams of the shimmering Wyvern witches. In spite of the warning of her crazed predecessor, Sheeha, the taste of their power, given her in the Wyverns' sea-hidden Cavern of the Veil, was tantalizing, and she yearned to learn more of the secret of weaving dreams. It was not until she met young Shann Lantee, a government liaison officer, the Charis finally began to understand the menace of Warlock. Almost too late. For thrust into the midst of an internecine struggle between Wyverns and their antagonists, she a Shann and their animal companions, Tssstu and Taggi, face near disaster as the furious witches attempt to destroy them.Andre Norton is a superb storyteller whose "sweep of imagination and brilliance of detail" have made the author "a primary talent among science fiction writers" (Virgina Kirkus). This fast moving adventure, the first in which Andre Norton pits a girl against formidable adversaries, is further proof of the author's range and skill.

Write-up from the back of the 1963 Ace paperback edition ~

“Fans of Andre Norton are familiar with the planet Warlock and its shimmering powerful witches, the matriarchal Wyverns, who rule by dreams. Oredeal in Otherwhere goes back to this familiar science-fiction setting, this time with young Charis Nordholm, who has been sold as the slave to a trader wishing to buy cloth from these strange creatures.“Charis soon finds herself not only in contact with the Wyverns, but also mixed up in the mysterious internecine warfare she does not understand…Norton’s books have earned a special place for being highly imaginative and beautifully written.” – Anniston Star

Write-up from the back of 1970s ACE paperback edition ~

When an outlaw seized control of the colonial planet Demeter, Charis Nordholm decided that it could no longer be her home. She contracted herself into the service of an off-world trader, who assigned her to buying cloth from the mysterious Wyverns.At first she was greatly attracted to these shimmering, dream-rulers of Worlock, and yearned to learn their secrets. But, Charis discovered to her cost, some secrets are best left alone.

Write-up from the front flap of the 1980 Gregg Press edition ~

Charis Nordholm is forced to leave her home planet of Demeter because it has fallen into the hands of an outlaw. She signs up to work for Jagan, an off-world trader who wants to buy cloth from the Wyverns —the powerful, matriarchal witches of the planet Warlock, who govern by dreams. Initially, Charis is fascinated by these dreams, and longs to know more of the secrets of the shimmering, mysterious Wyvern "witches." Then she meets Shann Lantee, a government liaison officer, introduced in Storm Over Warlock, and Charis begins to see the danger of warlock — almost too late.Ordeal In Otherwhere is a swiftly paced and exciting yarn. A sequel to Storm Over Warlock, it is yet another fine example of Andre Norton's ability to make an imaginative, colorful adventure believable and irresistible.

Write-ups from fans~

A plague struck the colony on Demeter, killing most of the government personnel. Outlaws seized control and Charis Nodholm, teacher became outcast and was traded to an unscrupulous Free Trader. He sold her indentures to another trader bound for Warlock. On Warlock, the reptilian Wyverns would not deal with males, so the traders hoped to use Charis as a liaison to trade for some beautiful fabric made by the Wyverns. One day, the traders disappeared and Charis after beaming an sos to the Survey base (from Storm Over Warlock), takes off into the wilderness, meets and befriends a Warlockian curl-cat. She is captured by the Wyverns and taken to their base where she is tested. The Wyverns, a matriarchal society, posses the Power of mind control (through dreams, mainly) and Teleportation and Telepathy. She shows some aptitude for the Power, as did Shann and Ragnar from SOW. She escapes and meets Shann and his telepathic wolverines. All of the off-world camps have been taken over by Jacks, ruthless pirates, who want to find some way to steal the Power. Charis and Shann and their animal companions must find a way to get the Wyvern "Witches" help them defeat the Jacks. Notes: Charis is Andre's first female main character and was a tough sell to the publishers The first appearance of the term "Jacks" meaning independent pirates, ie. not associated with her Thieves' Guild. "Otherwhere" is a big darkness that Wyverns (and Charis) teleport though. They also use it as a place to store prisoners. Other than it not being cold, it reminds me of "BETWEEN" in the Anne McCaffrey Pern books. ~ PG

1964’s Ordeal in Otherwhere starts off at a sprint. When we first encounter young Charis Nordholm, a cult leader and his idiot followers [1] have staged a coup and murdered her father in the process. Charis is on the run and faces an unpleasant choice: surrender to the cultists and accept whatever horrible fate they deem suitable for a heretic OR try to hide in the local jungle, where she will almost certainly be eaten.It turns out there is a third option, which is to be captured by the rebels and then sold to an off-world trader [2]…. ~ JNRead More…

KIRKUS REVIEW ~ Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1st, 1964Otherwhere, somewhere up there, begins on Demeter where Charis and her father, a government man, have joined a colony of fanatical Believers. Charis has inherited his "liberal off-world" mind and she continues her fight against tyrannies of any kind when she is taken to another newly opened world, Warlock, controlled by the jewel-skinned Wyverns through dreams and a Power which resides in will. At first Charis tracks the terrain, resplendent with postdiluvian flora and fauna-- a seabeast and monstrous clakers, before she joins with Survey officer antee and is able not only to equalize the Wyverns' power but also their lack of balance between the sexes... A demanding story, but initiates will again enjoy the luxuriance of activity and detail.